Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
5-0
Eastern Kentucky
2-3
Softball Splits Doubleheader vs. Eastern Kentucky and UTSA; Score 22 Runs in Win over EKU
02/11/2026 | 6:23:00 | Softball
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico - On its first day at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, Southern Illinois University (6-1) split the doubleheader, defeating Eastern Kentucky, 22-7 (5), before falling to UTSA, 3-1.
The 22 runs are the most SIU has scored in a game since April 16, 1993, when it had 24 vs. Tulsa.
"Obviously, really pleased with our offense in game one," head coach Jen Sewell said. "The pitchers were good, it just took some convincing that they needed to pitch to contact. I thought we did a great job of just settling in, adjusting and scoring despite a lot of pitching changes."
Emily Williams homered twice vs. EKU, her first two home runs of the season. Southern Illinois' first home run of the day, however, came off the bat of Sydney Potter. This was Potter's sixth of the season in as many games.
In game two, the Salukis fell on a walk-off, two-run home run by UTSA to fall, 3-1. Hailey Lucas pitched well despite the loss, allowing three earned runs, six hits, and no walks with three strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched.Â
"Game two was so well pitched by Hailey Lucas," Sewell said. "That game is on the offense. But we will learn. The righties needed to adjust to the inner half and get some better spacing. But now we know. This team won't get beat twice like that. We trust them. They've put a lot of work in, it's still early. I want to see their response tomorrow."
Game One: 22-7 win (5) vs. Eastern Kentucky
The Salukis had a historic offensive performance in game one of the day vs. Eastern Kentucky, scoring their most runs since 1993 and defeating the Colonels, 22-7. Southern Illinois scored five runs in the second, two in the third, six in the fourth, and nine in the fifth to run-rule EKU.
Emily Delgado (1-0) earned the win after allowing one run, two hits, and five walks with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings pitched.
Williams had her strongest day of the season so far, going 3-for-3 with two home runs, seven RBI, two runs scored, and two walks. Potter went 2-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, two runs scored, one double, and one walk.
Charleston Pursley also had a three-hit day, finishing with a 3-for-4 line with three RBI and four runs scored. Erin Lee, Amanda Knutson, Jordan Stewart, and Brooklyn Pritchett all finished with two hits each.
Along with Pursley, Sage Grann also finished with four runs scored during a 1-for-2 day with three walks. Outfielders Pritchett (three) and Maleah Blomenkamp (three) combined for six of the team's 22 runs scored.
SIU hit 11-for-18 with runners in scoring position.
Game Two: 3-1 loss vs. UTSA
Southern suffered its first loss of the season in its seventh game, falling to UTSA, 3-1, in game two.Â
Neither team scored until the Roadrunners opened the scoring in the fourth inning, taking a 1-0 lead.
This lead would last until the top of the sixth when Blomenkamp hit an RBI double to score Pursley and tie the game at 1-1.Â
After Southern was unable to put a dent in the scoreboard in the top of the seventh, UTSA hit a walk-off, two-run home run to win the game, 3-1.
Up Next
SIU will be back in action on Thursday starting at 10 a.m. vs. Long Beach State. Southern will then have a rematch vs. UTSA at 1 p.m. in Puerto Vallarta.
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Team Stats
Batting:
2B: Blomenkamp, Maleah 1 ; Lee, Erin 1 ; Potter, Sydney 1
HR: Williams, Emily 2 ; Potter, Sydney 1
RBI: Pursley, Charleston 3 ; Williams, Emily 7 ; Knutson, Amanda 2 ; Blomenkamp, Maleah 2 ; Lee, Erin 2 ; Potter, Sydney 6
Base Running:
RUNS: Pursley, Charleston 4 ; Williams, Emily 2 ; Coburn, Mikaela 1 ; Knutson, Amanda 1 ; Pritchett, Brooklyn 3 ; Blomenkamp, Maleah 3 ; Stewart, Jordan 1 ; Lee, Erin 1 ; Potter, Sydney 2 ; Grann, Sage 4
SB: Stewart, Jordan 1
CS: Blomenkamp, Maleah 1
Batting:
RBI: Smith, Jordan 1 ; Schreiner, Claire 1 ; Davis, Lilly 2 ; McLeod, Jada 2 ; Mathis, Makayla 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Drafton, Kennedy 1 ; Wallis, Kaitlyn 1 ; Haynes, Jaelin 2 ; Knox, Reese 2 ; McLeod, Jada 1
HBP: Drafton, Kennedy 1 ; Davis, Lilly 1
